Dairy Cow Culling Starting to Slow?

Dairy cow slaughter might be starting to slow, according to data released by the United States Department of Agriculture this week.

U.S. dairy farmers sent 277,000 cows through federally inspected slaughter plants in October, up 18,000 head from September. But there were three more business days in October than September. So, on a per day basis, culling was about 900 head lower (or 7%). October 2013 culling was also 8,000 head fewer than year-ago numbers.

Year-to-date, 2,619,000 cows have been slaughtered. That’s 45,000 head more than a year ago, or 1.7%.